What+makes+people+happy?

On ABC’s 20/20 was a story dealing with happiness. The report ranked countries all around the world in how happy the people are. This study is called Blue Zones and was done by Dan Buettner. America was ranked #23. Here are some summaries dealing with the articles that went with the broadcast. __**#1 Denmark…how?**__ Most people would over look this smaller country do to the fact not much comes out of it. A random survey given to 1,000’s of people showed that over 95% of the population is happy with their life. What is the reason, simplicity. **Simplicity** is an idea taken from //Transcendentalism// over 300 years ago. The people of Denmark do not care what others think about them and everyone is treated the same. Most Danes do not have cars because they rather ride bikes, and it is not because they can not afford it. Another Transcendentalism idea in Denmark is non-conformity. The people do what they want to do in life. One boy interviewed was a prince but chose to be a carpenter’s apprentice. Society lets people like this boy be able to do what they want and not make them conform. [|Denmark: The Happiest Place on Earth]

__**Happiness in Singapore**__ Relating back to the //Enlightenment// unit is the **social contract**. John Locke said that people would have to give up some of their rights to have the government’s protection. Singapore is taking this to an even higher level after their leader Lee Kwan took over. People living in Singapore give between 50-70% of their paycheck to taxes. In return they have all their health care and education paid for. Dealing with //Transcendentalism// is the idea of being and individual. People living in this area have nice things but they do not let shopping and consuming things become a top priority. Family is number one to them. [|Has Singapore Found the Secret to Satisfaction?]

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 * __Research on Happiness__**

USA TODAY wrote an article about a study conducted by a University of Pennsylvania physiologist Martin E. P. Seligman, which focused on what makes people happy. It was found that the happiest people are those that “judge themselves by their own yard sticks” and many other factors such as forgiveness and non- materialism. The finding of the study relates back to the transcendental ideas of Emerson and Thoreau. The idea that a person could be truly happy, simply, by living life according to their **conscience,** and Thoreau’s idea of **simplicity** are revered by the article as a means for happiness. If you would like to read the article, click the link below: [|http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2002-12-08-happy-main_x.htm